Flexible storage of XML collections within an object-relational database

A method used for managing XML data in a database system, comprising the steps of:na database server receiving a XML schema;wherein said XML schema includes a plurality of XML schema declarations, wherein a particular declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations defines a particular collection element;based on said particular declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations that defines said particular collection element, determining a database representation for storing said particular collection element in a database of the database server;said database server making a certain determination of whether to store the particular collection element as an in-line VARRAY column or an out-of-line VARRAY column based on one or more factors, wherein said one or more factors includes a database type of the database representation determined for storing the particular collection element;wherein the one or more factors are based on forms of VARRAY storage supported by said database server for the database type; andsaid database server generating mapping data that maps said particular collection element to a form of VARRAY storage determined by said certain determination.

A computer-implemented method for mapping a database representation in a database to XML elements defined by a XML schema, comprising the steps of:na database server evaluating said XML schema, wherein said XML schema includes a plurality of XML schema declarations, each declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations defining a respective collection element; andwherein said evaluation includes, for said each declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations:nmaking a determination specific to said each declaration of whether to store the respective collection element as an in-line VARRAY or an out-of-line VARRAY based on a database type of a database representation of the respective collection element defined by said each declaration, andsaid database server generating mapping data that, for each declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations:nmaps the respective collection element defined by said each declaration to a VARRAY column of a table in said database, andindicates whether the VARRAY column mapped to the respective collection element defined by said each declaration is stored in-line or out-of-line.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:na database server receiving a XML schema;wherein said XML schema includes a plurality of XML schema declarations, wherein a particular declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations defines a particular collection element;based on said particular declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations that defines said particular collection element, determining a database representation for storing said particular collection element in a database of the database server;said database server making a certain determination of whether to store the particular collection element as an in-line VARRAY column or an out-of-line VARRAY column based on one or more factors, wherein said one or more factors includes a database type of the database representation determined for storing the particular collection element;wherein the one or more factors are based on forms of VARRAY storage supported by said database server for the database type; andsaid database server generating mapping data that maps said particular collection element to a form of VARRAY storage determined by said certain determination.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for mapping a database representation in a database to XML elements defined by a XML schema, the instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:na database server evaluating said XML schema, wherein said XML schema includes a plurality of XML schema declarations, each declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations defining a respective collection element; andwherein said evaluation includes, for said each declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations:nmaking a determination specific to said each declaration of whether to store the respective collection element as an in-line VARRAY or an out-of-line VARRAY based on a database type of a database representation of the respective collection element defined by said each declaration, andsaid database server generating mapping data that, for each declaration of said plurality of XML schema declarations:nmaps the respective collection element defined by said each declaration to a VARRAY column of a table in said database, andindicates whether the VARRAY column mapped to the respective collection element defined by said each declaration is stored in-line or out-of-line.